Targeting prolific and other priority offenders and promoting pathways to desistance: Some reflections on the PPO programme using a theory of change framework

The Prolific and Other Priority Offender (PPO) programme was introduced in 2004 to target the most prolific and persistent offenders within Community Safety Partnership areas. Based on identifying offenders through local crime analysis, intensive supervision and targeted intervention, evaluations ha...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Criminology & criminal justice 2013-11, Vol.13 (5), p.594-614
Main Authors: Hopkins, Matt, Wickson, Julia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Case studies
Community
Crime
Criminal justice
Criminal statistics
Criminology
Habitual offenders
Intensive treatment
Offenders
Partnerships
Priorities
Recidivists
Reflection
Safety
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Summary:The Prolific and Other Priority Offender (PPO) programme was introduced in 2004 to target the most prolific and persistent offenders within Community Safety Partnership areas. Based on identifying offenders through local crime analysis, intensive supervision and targeted intervention, evaluations have shown promising results. By using a ‘theory of change’ approach as an analytical framework and a local PPO project as a case study, this article begins to question whether the rationale behind the PPO programme can be viewed as ‘plausible’, if key strands of implementation are ‘doable’ and if the desired outcomes are ‘testable’. The article argues that although the rationale for the PPO programme might be plausible, doubts are raised over its likely impact on local crime rates and the extent PPO projects might be able to target prolific offenders effectively. Finally, it suggests that although testable outcomes can be established, the extent to which the programme has enhanced our understanding of desistance is questionable.
ISSN:1748-8958
1748-8966
DOI:10.1177/1748895812462595